Power-operated counter



June 24, 1930. H. J. 6058 POWER OPERATED COUNTER Filed June 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet #370637??? fiaimld J. 5055 June 24, 1930. H. J. 6058 POWER OPERATED. COUNTER Filed June 16. 1928 3 SheetsShe et 2 I Q I i 5 w w; o v v 7/ ,fj, x/ 5 Jun 24, 1930. H J, G 1,765,418

POWER OPERATED COUNTER I7: U6 afar Euro Z07 J. 605.5

Patented June 24, 1930 HAROLD J'. GOSS, OF NASHUA, NEW

PAPER BOX MACHINE CQMJPANY, OF MAINE Application filed June 16,

This invention relates to counting mecha nism adapted to be attached to machines which make or treat such articles as blanks for the production of envelopes or paper boxes, and the invention has particular reference to that type of mechanism which of fects counting of the articles by indicating to an attendant that a predetermined number (such as fifty) are ready to be picked up for boxing or laying aside in piles or groups.

One of the objects .of the present invention is to provide an improved poweroperated counting mechanism having friction rolls or disks both of which are positively driven and which so firmly grip passing articles as to effect lateral displacement of them at predetermined intervals even when the-articles are of thin paper and consequently somewhat slippery.

Another object is to provide a counting mechanism which permits the articles to pass very freely, without having ,toe'xert'any material pressure on any part of the mechanism to actuate such part.

WVith the above objects in view, and others hereinafter explained, the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed. Of the accompanying drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations'of-the counter, looking from opposite sides thereof.

- .Figure 3 representszasection on line 33 ofFigure 1. I

, 1 .Figuretrepresents a section on linedi ofFigure3. 1 I P Simil'ar reference characters designate similar parts or features inall of the views.

All parts of the counting. mechanism are carried byv a single frame plate'12 having openings in suitable locations to enable the wholeto be 'supported'iby and adjustable alongitie rods of the inachi'neto which said counting mechanism is attached. The different partsof the'mechanism presently described rare supported at opposite sides of the said-single frame. plate .12 and are there-' fore s'oexposed asto be easyjof 'access for examination, cleaning, oiling, or repairing,

POWER-OPERATED COUNTER 1928. Serial No. 286,009.

At one end of said frame plate l2'are'upper and lower angular brackets 13' having bearings 14: for shafts 15. The lower bracket is fixed and the upper one is pivotally-supported for a purpose hereinafter explained.

At one end the two shafts 1-5 have inter-: meshing gears 16, and the upper shaft has also a pulley 17. At the other end, each shaft has a roll or disk 18 having a frictional periphery. 1

Projecting from one side of the frame plate is a stud 19 which supports'a pendant stem or rod 20 onwhich' are idly mounted two pulleys 21' to properly guide a belt 22 which passes aroundthe pulleyl'? to drive the two disks 18. Said belt 22 is driven from any suitable shaft of the machine to which the counter is connected, but it is important, for a reasonhereinafter explained, thatthe belt 22 shall be driven at such speed-that the peripheral speed of the disks 18 which are operated by said belt shall exceed the speed of travel of the articles thatare being delivered from the machine past the counter, by belts b, 6, portions only. of which are illustrated. 7 I Extending through a bearing in the frame plate 12 is a shaft 23 which is constantly driven or rotated by-gearing not necessary to illustrate, such gearing being provided b the machine to whichthe counter is attache Said shaft and itscams presently described rotate once for'each operation-ofthe machine and its delivery. In other words such rotation is in synchronism with the timing of the passage'of the articles effected by the beltsb,b.

Secured to the shaft 23 at one side ofthe framea plate is a cam,-24lj (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) on which bears a roll .25 carried by a lever 26 having anotched tip presenting a shoul der 27. Said lever is pivotally mounted on a shaft; 28 rotatably mounted in the frame plate and having a ratchet] wheel 29 secured thereto. The lever has a pawl 30 having a bevelled or inclined heel portion,ithe front tooth of said pawl engaging the ratchet wheel to actuate it and its shaft, a suitable detentpawl 31 being employed to prevent. backward r0tation of the ratchet HAMPSHIRE, AssIGnoR TO mnnmrnannrionat or NASHUA, new HAM?SEIR-E, a CORPORATION wheel. A spring 32 connected with the rear end of the lever tends to depress the forward end or tip of the lever toward a stop 33 projectingjfrom the frame plate.

A strip 34 mounted on a stud 35 projecting from the frame plate, below the lever,

guides side portions of the blanks 'or other articles which arebei'ng delivered by belts certain ones being directed laterallyaway' from the said belts as hereinafter described, by the laterally inclined discs 18 having the higher speed of rotation.

Projecting from the guide strip34 is a stop pin '36 to limit the downward position of a finger 37 projecting from a rocker 38 pivoted at 39 and having an upright pin 40 which coacts with the notched tip of the lever 26 as presently described. A spring 41' connecting the rocker with a fixed pin 42 tends to hold the rocker with its finger 37 in the position illustrated in Figure 1.

The upper bracket 13 which carries the shaft of the upper displacing disk 18 is pivoted at 43 1) and has an arm 44 (Fig. 2) provided with a roll 45 at its end bearing against acam 46 secured to the shaft 23 on the other side of the frame plate from the cam 24; Aspring 47 tends to hold the upper bracket with the roll 45 in contact with the cam 46.

The arm-44has a tooth pin 48 adapted to cooperate as hereinafter described with a notch 50 in theperiphery of a disk 49 carried by the ratchet mechanismillustrated by Figure 1 and hereinbefore described. 1

Projecting from the disk 49 is a pin 51 to actuate the'arm 52 of a Veederor other well-known type of counting device indicated at 53, which device numerically 8X hibits the total of passed articles and therefore needs no illustrationbr description of its structure, especially as such device forms no partof the present invention. a I

It will now be understood that each time thatthe lever'26 is free, as presently described, to descend, the pawl 30 moves up andadvances the ratchet wheel 29- one tooth. To prevent overthrow of the ratchet wheel I provide a stop screw 54 (Fig. 1") which is-adjusted to suchposition that when the pawl 30 has just advanced the ratchet wheel. one tooth, the bevelled or inclined heel of said pawl contactswith the lower end of said screw 54 sothat the pawl is mo1nen-,

tarily locked in the space between two teeth of the ratchet wheel, so that said wheel can notrotate farther until said pawl is re-' the articles.

so that the low portion of the earn the outer end of the other end to actuate the ratchet wheel. Then shaft which is rotated by the f tact with, or sufficiently close to,

leased. Such release occurs as soon as the lever returns to the position illustrated in Figure 1.

The operation of the mechanism will now be described:

Normally the inter-geared and therefore positively rotated disks '18, 18,

ure 1, and when so spaced no articles passing between them will be deflected from a straight path of travel but will remain between the belts b, 7), until delivered by the latter onto the usual travelling receiving platform that is customarily employed. Every article approaching the 7 passes over the guide strip 34 and while doing so causes the finger 37 to swing up. Said finger is at such an acute angle to the path of travel of the articles as to oifer no appreciable resistance to the movements of It is to be borne in mind at this point that the lever 26 is being constantly actuated slightly I actuate the ratchet wheel a tooth only when the finger 37 is lifted and the pin 40 swung away from under the tip of the lever. Consequently if there is any interruption in the I timed passage of the articles, there will be no actuation of the counter. But each artis cle which does pass over the guide strip, causes the finger to lift and thepin 40 to swing back, thereby releasing the lever 26 permits lever to drop and the the completion of the rotation of the cam lifts the lever so that the upright pin 40 can resume the position illustrated and then there will be no. further actuation of the ratchet wheel until another article passes overthe guide strip 34. j So long as the displacingdisks 18, 18, remain apart, all of or platform in aistraight line,

operation of the mechanism which closes the disks together will now be described.

a Assuming that the ratchet wheel has fifty teeth, the closing of the disks together must occur only once for the passing of each series of fifty articles. This occurs whenthe arm 44. Then when the low portion of the 44', the spring 4'? acts to aid gravitation so that the upper disk 18 is lowered intocon+ disk 18, with the result that the next passing of line with those previouslyydelivereel To remain spaced slightly apart as illustrated by Figdisks 18 s the passing articles will be deposited on the usual receiving'belt' and all arecausing actuation of the ratchet wheel. The

the lower article will be removed from between the carrier belts b, b, and be delivered' out by the 24'but can I v ice cam 46 next passes the roll '45 of the arm. 7

cam 46 passes the roll is advantageous to have the, peripheral speed of the two positively rotated disks 18 exceed the speed of travel of the belts b, b, as has been explained. 7, 7 Owing to the fact that both of the disks 18 are positively rotated, they both, when closed together, instantly act on both. surfaces of the blanks, and so firmlygrip the latter that positive lateral displacement is effected even when the. material of blanks is very thin and so calendered or otherwise treated as to beof a slippery nature. I 1

Thearticle following the one displaced is not directed aside because, when it passes over the guide strip 34 it causes the finger 37 to rise and instantly permits the actuation of the ratchet wheelanother tooth in the manner that has been explained. And since the notched disk 49 rotates with the ratchet wheel, its notch is moved beyond the pin 48 of the arm 44. This will be clear when it is understood thatthe cam 46 and spring 47 are constantly causing a slight rocking of the arm 44,

can occur only when the notch 50 of the disk 49 is opposite the tooth or pin 48 of the arm 44. I I

The cam 46 performs the additional function of preventing the tooth pin 48 from acting as a retard on the periphery of the disk 49 and wearing it, as will now be explained.

The high portion of the constantly ro tating cam 46 acts on the roll 45 of the arm 44 to prevent contact of the tooth pin 48 with the periphery of the disk 49 just as and while the said disk is being given a rotative impulse by the operation of the ratchet mechanism. Mere tapping contact .of the tooth pin with the disk does no harm. But when the notch 50 of said disk arrives opposite the tooth pin the latter enters the notch so that when the low portion of the of the arm 44,

the disks 18 are free to act on the passing article to direct it aside as has been explained. The immediate next removal of the tooth pin from said notch due to-thev further rotation of the cam 46 permits the next step of rotation of the disk 49 due to the next actuationof the ratchet mechanism. I i Y The advantages of the structure including the notched disk 49 and tooth pin 48 will be clearer when it is understood that the cam 46 (Fig. 2) which rotates once for each passing blank, is constantly effecting a rocking of the arm 44 to a degree limited by the rocking and tapping contact of the pin 48 against the periphery of the disk 49, which limitation prevents complete lowering of the unner disk 18. But when .,the notch 50 in the disk 49 arrives oppothe finger 37 and back or away from the tipo the-lever, so

but that the lowering of the upper disk close to the lower disk shaftv being site the pin 48, the very next rotationof the cam 46 permits the instant movement of the pin into the notch and a consequent,

quick closing together of the displacing the mechanismis' such that just before an article reaches the guide strip 34,the cam 24 lifts the lever 26 enough so thatthe upsaid lever, and consequently the article passing over the therefore swin s the pin 40 thatthe low part of said camcan permit the lever to drop and result in the actua tion of the ratchet mechanism. The passing article therefore is not required to exert any pressure on anything to directly effect I a counting operation. After a passing guide strip easily lifts the.

article has lifted and then'passed the finger,

and has been counted, the finger drops again, and when the lever is next rotation of the, cam 24, pin 40 regains the ure 1.- Therefore, althoughv the cam is ro-i tatedin synchronism with the planned tinring of the passing articles, any interruption in the regularity of the succession of passthe upright lifted by the position shown in Figing articles simply leaves the counting;

mechanism idle. In other words, there can be no operation of the ratchet mechanism when there isany skip in the succession of passing articles, in spite of the fact that the shaft 23, with its two cams 24 and 46, and,

both of the disks 18, 18, are constantly and,

positively driven.

Having now described my I I' q r r H 1. A counterhaving a pair ofnangularly f claim mounted normally separated friction disks,

means for positively rotating bothQof them, and means for bringing'said disks closetogether momentarily termined number of position to be graspedby said disks...

whenone 'of' a predemoving-artlcles reaches,

2; A counter-having upper and. lower angularly mounted shafts provided with friction disks and intermeshing gears, means for positively driving saidshafts, the upper movable towardand from the lower shaft, shaft normally raised, [and means means for holding the upper for, pet. mitting lowering. of the [upper shaftf.' when.

one of a predetermined numbersofrnoving' said disks. v r

In .acounter having a frameplate, a shaft mounted in and extending. through articles reaches position jt be graspedby .125 said plate, cams [carried by}; said shaft opposite sides of said, plate, a. ratchetmecha-i y nism on one side ofthe p il ap rated yj one of the cams, g and means located' at the other of sai'dframe plateandcontrolledff '75 right pin 40 is free from any pressure by by'qth th m; f r effecting displacement of 'o'ne of a predetermined number of passm -articles; v r r 4; ln a counter having a frame plate, a

shaft mounted i-n'andextending through said plate, a ratchet wheel and notched disk carried by'saidshaft' at opposite sides of said plate, means controlled'by a succession V of passing article's-for actuating said ratchet ing articles to efliect -mec'hanism? for effecting eife cting operation of j the. counting mechawheel andfitsshaft, and means controlled by a pinto engag'ecsai'd shouldered tipfof the lever," said rocker having 'a finger, extending across the path or; the. passing articles.

6J A' counter having a guide fora succes'sion of passing articles, a pivoted finger 'movable'to and' from a position crossing the plane" of said guide'at an acute angle relatively thereto, normally inactive ratchet driven counting mechanism, o and poweroperated means controlled by said. finger for r nism when the finger is shifted by a passing article: V i V .7." ALcounter ha ving'a guide ,for a succession of passing articles, a pivoted finger movable to and from a position crossing the plane ofsaid guide atan acuteangle relatively thereto, a ratchet-operated counting mechanism, a, power-operated cam, a lever, a ratchet-operating pawl carried by said lever, and means controlled by said finger for permitting he said lever to be actuated bysaid cam.

the latter at predeterminedintervals, and

'means controlled by thepassing articles for efiecting rotation of said notched disk;

10. A counter having mechanism for ef fecting displacement ofpassing articles at prevent and to then permit movement ofdisk" cooperating with the toothed arm to predetermlned intervals, said'mechanism in- V V cluding a power-driven shaft carrying a a ratchet wheel, a lever actuated by Y cam, said cam and having a ratchet-wheel-actuating pawl, and means for holding said pawl in looking engagement with the ratchet wheel while sa d pawl is at 'the'extreme of its actuating movement. r

'11. A counter having mechanism for effeetingdisplacement of passing articles at predetermined 'intervals',-said mechanism including apowerdrivenjshaft carrying a cam, a ratchet wheel, a lever actuated by saidcam, afpawl carried by saidlever for actuating the ratchetwheel, said pawl'.hav-

inga. bevelled heel, and astop in position to contact W1ththe bevelled heel of the pawl when said pawl is at the extreme of its actuating said pawl in engagement with the ratchet .wheel.

In testimonywhereof I have afiixed my signature,

HABQLD J. GOSS.'

8. A counter having 'a pair of normally separated friction disks positioned relatively 'tolthe 'path o'fi travel of a successionot passdisplacement of some of the articles out of such path lwhen said disks are in .closed relationship, a notched disk, means controlled by the passing p articles "for effecting rotati'on of said notched disk, and a movable imemberforpermitting and preventing closing of said friction disks together, 7 said] movable; member having a tooth cooperating with the notched disktoff at predetermined intervals. 7

movement to temporarily lock the i permit closingof thevfrictionf'disks together V 9. A counter having a fixed bearing-and a movable bearing,

tivelygto the path Iottravel of 'a succession of articles to, efliect displacement of some of the articles] out ofsuch path, the movable bearing'having a 'toothedj arm, a camland spring ,for effecting oscillations of the movable'beariiig and its toothed arm, a notched shafts insaid bearings H and havihgfiictibndisks positioned rela- 

